Pregnancy Flashcards
Marked placental growth
Occurs prior to significant fetal growth
-increased placental blood vessel growth and vasodilation supports fetal growth
-placental transport of nutrients, gases, growth promoting factors are needed for fetal growth/development
-assisted by areolar growth
Progesterone during gestation
- Early pregnancy: progesterone stimulates endometrial growth and gland development and secretions
- Progesterone block: inhibits uterine contractions
Luteo-placental shift
When placental progesterone takes over from CL to maintain pregnancy
Timing of luteo-placental shift
Varies among species
-pigs, goats, dogs, alpacas, llamas, rabbits do not have the ability to produce enough placental P4 to avoid abortion when ovaries removed
-cows- can remove ovaries after 8mths
-Does not occur in cats (but placenta still makes enough P4). Due to CL being present entire time
-Horses, humans and sheep undergo this shift
Estrogens/Estradiol during gestation
Produced by placenta
-Early pregnancy: stimulates endometrial growth
-Parturition period: peak of estradiol
-Labour: Increased estradiol
Placental Lactogen production
-Peptide hormone also called chorionic somatomammotropin
-produced by trophoblasts (but in ruminants by BNGC and TNCs)
Which animals have placental lactogen?
rodents, sheep, cow, goat, humans
Placental lactogen fetal vs. maternal
**like growth hormone
Secreted into maternal and fetal circulations
Fetus: varies; sheep increases early then remains constant.
-Bovine: will decline in levels throughout pregnancy
Maternal: steady increase in levels up to parturition
Placental lactogen function
-Stimulates mammary gland growth/development in the dam but also plays a smaller role in fetal growth
Placental lactogen effect on fetal growth
- Due in part to induction of growth promoting factors in the fetus (insulin growth factors)
- Anti-insulin effect on dam- freeing up maternal glucose stores for fetus
- Stimulates amino acid uptake
Timing of PAG productions during gestation
-Maternal circulation as early as day 24 of gestation and peak before parturition
Functions of PAGs
*many different forms of PAGs marked by alterations in glycosylation=many unclear roles
- may process of cleave growth factors and other maternally released factors at trophoblast-uterine interface
2.May have immunomodulatory functions during pregnancy - Luteotrophic role during pregnancy via increased stimulation of prostaglandin E2 from luteal cells
PAG measurement
Measured in serum or plasma using enzyme-linked assays (ELISA) to confirm pregnancy in ruminants
Relaxin in equine
-produced in placenta
-Relaxin levels rise quickly reaching peak around mid-pregnancy to parturition
-levels drop after parturition
Relaxin in sow
-Maternal serum levels increase dramatically late in pregnancy prior to parturition
**produced in CL. Stored in granules within ovarian CL and released upon luteolysis as parturition nears
Relaxin function in equine and pigs
- Causes softening or relaxation of pelvic ligaments (pubic symphysis) for aiding fetal expulsion Eg. mare, women
- promotes growth and relaxation of uterine muscle during pregnancy
- promotes cervical relaxation for parturition
Relaxin in dog
-Detected in peripheral circulation by 20-30 days and max levels 5-7 weeks
-undetectable in non-pregnant animal
-maternal blood levels of relaxin is the basis of pregnancy tests in dogs
Relaxin in cats
-Appears in blood ~3rd week of pregnancy. Increases and then declines just before parturition
-can also be used for pregnancy diagnosis
Relaxin function in dog and cats
To inhibit uterine activity and relax pelvic ligaments
Glucocorticoids
A class of steroid hormones produced by adrenal glands (mostly adrenal cortex)
**primarily cortisol in horses, ruminants, pigs, dogs, cats